Commercial laundry appliances used in commercial laundry facilities, university and college student housing, and other public settings, are typically coin operated, and accordingly, include a coin box for storing the coins deposited by users to operate the washer and dryer machines. It is not unusual for the coin boxes to hold several hundred dollars of quarters, which, unfortunately, creates theft problems. For example, it has been known for thieves to use drilling, prying, torching, and cutting tools to gain access to the coin box so as to steal the money therein.
Prior art coin operated appliances have been designed with coin boxes mounted in a small protective vault so as to make theft more complicated. However, theft remains a problem, particularly as battery operated tools make it easier for a thief to breach weak points in the security of the coin box and/or vault.
For example, existing designs for the coin box of commercial appliances are susceptible to hole saw attack around the shoulder of the lock, and due to the material specifications of the coin box, which are not designed to stop cutting with a hole saw. Similarly, existing designs are susceptible to prying attack due to a single wall vault and a coin box design which does not withstand prying pressure. A relatively small opening allows a thief to vacuum out the coins with a small vacuum, or to string out the coins with adhesive-type materials to which the coins stick.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved coin box assembly for commercial laundry appliances.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a high security coin vault with redundant security features to defeat common break-in methods for commercial laundry appliances.
Another objective of the present invention is a coin vault designed for commercial laundry appliances which guards against drilling, prying, torching, and cutting attacks.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved coin vault assembly for commercial laundry appliances which defeats common break-in methods using common burglary tools.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a comprehensive redundant money handling, high security system for coin operated machines.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a coin operated appliance or machine having a coin box, coin vault, and mounting bracket which compliment one another so as to withstand break-in attempts.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved coin operated appliance or machine having high levels of security with low impact to production cost.
Still another objective of the present invention is an improved coin operated laundry appliance having no visible points of attack to the coin box.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved security coin vault for coin operated machine wherein the coin box assembly includes a double-wall, pry-resistant design.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved security coin box assembly for a commercial laundry appliance having a front plate assembly on the coin box which is resistant to drilling and cutting.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved security coin vault for commercial laundry appliances wherein welds in the assembly are hidden, masked or finished.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.